Anamorphic camera systems have been utilized to capture a widescreen aspect ratio on film that has a smaller aspect ratio, such as standard 35 mm film. For example, in the standard Panavision anamorphic system, a widescreen image having an aspect ratio of 2.4:1 is compressed in a horizontal dimension by a factor of 2, to be captured on 35 mm film at an aspect ratio of 1.2:1. The horizontal compression allows a higher resolution image to be stored on 35 mm film than would otherwise be allowed if a 2.4:1 aspect ratio were stored on 35 mm film. Anamorphic lens elements are used to compress the original image to be stored on film, and are then used to expand the image again for projection in a cinema or the like.
With the expanded use of digital camera systems, further developments to anamorphic systems are required to address the needs of such digital camera systems. In addition, modifications to the anamorphic compression ratio are needed to address the aspect ratios utilized by digital imaging sensors.